


There's nothing wrong with a taste of what you paid for

by VileVenom



Category: Book of Life (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Character Death, Drabble Collection, Drinking, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Illness, Kisses, M/M, Modern AU, Multi, Pokemon - Freeform, Tumblr Prompt, learning to cook
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-12-12
Packaged: 2018-02-25 20:01:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2634422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VileVenom/pseuds/VileVenom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabble prompts for Book of Life from my tumblr</p><p>Tags added for each chapter</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Modern pokemon!au

**Author's Note:**

> I figured that I should probably just post all the really short drabbles together, rather than as separate works to save my profile from becoming cluttered. 
> 
> First up:  
> Tedizleader: pokemon au; Joaquin has a pretty badass Dragonite and asks Manolo for a casual battle right where they are. The only pokemon Manolo has with his is his Clefable. You know where this is going lol

Manolo frowned down at his game boy as he stooped in the front door of his house, knees nearly to his chest as he rapidly pushed buttons and quietly cursed at the small hand held game. His father told him to go outside after he’d spent nearly three hours playing his game, but he hadn’t specified that Manolo couldn’t take the game with him outdoors. Thus the world found the boy still trying to beat the gym trainer he’d been stuck on for the last three days.

He scowled at the game as he finally admitted defeat and absconded from the battle, all of the pokemon in his team depleted of their energy, aside from his Clefable. He sighed heavily as he flopped back against the front door of his house, directing his tiny avatar towards the pokemon center to heal his team. He didn’t notice the shadow that crossed his stoop until the person it belonged to sat down heavily beside him.

Manolo jumped, nearly dropping his game boy to the ground as he turned his attention to his grinning friend, who looked quite pleased to have startled the other.

"Joaquin! Ugh. Do I need to get you a bell?" Manolo huffed, shaking his head as he returned his attention to his game, frowning as he found his avatar in the middle of a field, rather than the city he’d just been in. He must have hit buttons when he’d jumped.

"Might be helpful for you, yeah," Joaquin snickered, shifting to watch Manolo play over his shoulder. After a beat, he pulled his own game boy from his pocket and waved it under Manolo’s nose. "Wanna battle?"

Manolo flicked his gaze to Joaquin’s game boy, chewing on his lip for a moment. His pokemon could certainly use the xp, but with only his Clefable able to battle…

"Just a one on one? C’mon, Manny. It’ll be fun!" Joaquin goaded, smirk still on his lips.

"Ugh, fine," Manolo agreed with a sigh, knowing that Joaquin would continue to pester him until he got his way. He watched Joaquin turn his game boy on, and directed his character to where it needed to go in order for them to make a connection, glancing up as Joaquin snorted once the battle began.

"Clefable? Oh, man," Joaquin chuckled, shaking his head as he sent out his pokemon, "Is it because your hair sort of matches?"

Manolo scowled, jamming his thumb into the buttons of his game boy, eye brows arching as Joaquin’s pokemon turned out to be a Dragonite.

"Dragonite?" he inquired, glancing up at the other boy.

"Heck yeah! Is it awesome? He’s totally going to school your Clefable," Joaquin boasted, thumbs flying over his own game boy.

Manolo felt a slow grin creeping across his face. Joaquin had only had his game for a few weeks, Manolo knew, as where he’d gotten his for his birthday a few months previous. He knew the ins and outs of the game, and that appearances were often quite deceiving.

"Oh, yeah. Totally going to school me," Manolo murmured, biting his lip to hold back a laugh as his Clefable dealt a good blow to Joaquin’s Dragonite, then dodging the return volley.

"Wh-what?" Joaquin frowned, staring at his screen as the Clefable attacked again, eyes widening at how much damage his Dragonite was taking.

"Don’t let appearances fool you, Joaquin," Manolo sing-songed, grinning as he let his Clefable deal its final blow against the Dragonite, watching as it fainted, "they’re not everything."

"Awwww, no way!" Joaquin wailed, slumping next to Manolo, "Not fair."


	2. Tangled!au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon: tangled au!joanolo ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Art inspiration!](http://marrowcraft.tumblr.com/post/101921701288/some-really-quick-cruddy-doodles-for-a-tangled-au)

Manolo swallowed thickly as he hefted his guitar higher over his shoulder. Not that he wanted to use it as a weapon, particularly, but it was that or the swords hanging on the wall, and he figured those were probably just a bit much for someone simply breaking into the tower. Not that his father would think that way, of course, but given that the man currently tied up in a chair with his hair was the first other human being he’d ever had contact with, he didn’t particularly want him dead.

He watched as the mustachioed man groaned and rolled his head to the side, obviously in at least a mild amount of pain still from when Manolo knocked him out with his guitar as he’d come in through the window. The man licked his lips and squinted his eyes open at last, blinking in confusion a few times, before his gaze finally focused enough to notice Manolo standing over him. He blinked at Manolo once, before a smile slid across the man’s face, his eyebrows cocking in what Manolo assumed the man thought to be a charming expression.

"Hi there," the man cooed, wiggling his mustache a little once he’d spoken. he stared at Manolo expectantly, though he had really no idea what the man expected. The man couched at no reaction from Manolo, his smile faltering a little. "Ugh, hang on. This usually works," the man sighed, turning his head away, before whipping his head back and wiggling his mustache with the cocksure grin on his face once more. "Hey there."

Manolo continued to frown at the man, shifting his guitar on his shoulder. “Who are you? What are you doing here? Are you here for my hair?” Manolo stated, impressed by his own ability to keep his voice from shaking with nerves.

"What? Your hair?" the man asked, finally looking down, his expression turning surprised as he finally realized exactly what was binding him to the chair he sat on. "Why do you have so much hair?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel fee to pop prompts into my inbox on tumblr [over here!](http://vilevenom.tumblr.com)


	3. First kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon: The OT3 first kisses between each other.

The first time Manolo kissed Maria, it had been in the heat of the moment, given he’d only just come back from the dead and about to go into battle with the meanest bandito Mexico had ever seen. He wasn’t entirely sure it counted, given the circumstances, but it was still an interesting first kiss story to think about, and tell, if people were curious. Who could beat coming back from the dead, really?

The first time he’d kissed Joaquin had been entirely different. It had been the two of them behind casa Mondragon, which had stood empty for quite some time, since Joaquin had moved into the barracks behind casa Posada. It was the first time Joaquin had come back from saving towns from banditos, and he was a bit shaken by some of the things he had seen. Manolo had lent a shoulder and an ear to the other, in hopes of offering comfort. A kiss stolen quickly from Manolo had ended their night, with Joaquin leaving once more the next day without a word to Manolo before he’d left. Not a story either wanted to particularly share with anyone but each other.

The second time Manolo kissed Joaquin was the one he really liked to count as their actual first kiss. Maria had picked up the way they seemed to dance around each other on occasion, and how it wasn’t always her presence or Joaquin’s lingering crush that caused their awkward behavior. She urged Manolo to speak to Joaquin, offering him quiet support and understanding, relating to him that she still felt love for Joaquin, even if she hadn’t been ready to marry him. After a long talk between them, and Maria nodding her ascent after an embarrassed check, Manolo kissed Joaquin without the previous trepidation he felt.

Shortly after that kiss, Maria took the opportunity to bundle up next to Joaquin, stealing a brief kiss and a smile of her own. The soldier had looked hesitantly between her and Manolo, before a laugh from the ex-torero broke the tension, and Joaquin turned to offer Maria a proper kiss. Their first and second kisses. Not the most spectacular of stories, but it was precious to them, none the less.

After that, Manolo had tried to keep count of the kisses he shared with his loves, but they shortly became too numerous for him to keep track.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to send prompts to me [at my tumblr!](http://vilevenom.tumblr.com)


	4. injury prone joaquin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon: Anything based on how Joaquin is no longer indestructible and hurts himself in (maybe) silly ways, stubbed toes, banging knee off table etc. Maybe with Maria and Manolo kissing him better?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this may have turned out less fluffy and more angsty than I envisioned

"It’s okay, I’ve got it-"

"Joaquin!"

A resounding thud and a hissed curse were shortly followed by the sound of a man falling into a creaky kitchen chair.

"Are you all right?" Maria asked softly, moving over to stand next to Joaquin, who was rubbing at his forehead where he’s smacked it against the low door frame to the kitchen. He always forgot just how much shorter the Sanchez family tended to be than his own, and often failed to recall to duck while going through some of the smaller door ways. His recently skewed depth perception wasn’t helping the situation, either.

He sighed and shook his head slightly, regretting that particular decision as soon as he moved, holding his head with both hands and squeezing his eye shut. “Ugh. I will be,” he muttered, jumping when a cool cloth was pressed to his forehead. He blinked and glanced up at Maria, who was smiling softly back at him.

"Careful, querido. You’re not indestructible anymore," she cooed, removing the cloth to press a light kiss to Joaquin’s red forehead.

~

"DIOS MIO! Joaquin! Are you hurt?!"

Joaquin grumbled as Manolo’s voice echoed down the otherwise empty street where Joaquin was currently sprawled across the ground after the toe of his boot caught in a wayward flag stone. He shoved himself up onto his knees, sucking the air quickly back into his momentarily emptied lungs, offering a wan smile to his friend.

"I’m fine," he managed to wheeze out, even as Manolo’s hands wrapped around his arm and helped hoist him back onto his feet, "just a little dazed. My pride may never recover, but you’re the only one around, so I think I’ll be fine." He chuckled quietly, rubbing absently at his now sore chest.

Manolo snorted quietly at Joaquin’s attempt at a joke, shaking his head a little as he released Joaquin once he was sure the man was stable on his feet. “Whatever you say, hermano. Just be more careful, hm? Don’t want you injuring your pride any worse than a short fall.” He gave Joaquin’s shoulder a short squeeze and a concerned smile before heading on his way.

~

Paper cuts, stubbed toes, jammed fingers, bruised shins, and a plethora of other minor injuries were the bane of Joaquin’s existence. He never realized just how much of a complete and utter klutz he truly was, until he felt each stinging, aching wound that littered his battered body.

And Maria and Manolo were present for each and every curse, embarrassing incident, offering a kind word, reassurances, and a gentle touch after each one.

Joaquin hated it. He hated feeling like a child again, and to have Maria and Manolo coddle him like worried parents. He hated feeling like he couldn’t protect anyone because he was too busy dealing with his own inability to function without injuring himself. he was disgusted with himself and he couldn’t stand it any more.

~

"¡Coño!" Joaquin hissed as he shoved his finger into his mouth while glaring down at the frying pan he’d been using to make fried rice.

"Joaquin?"

He growled at the sound of Maria’s concerned voice floating to him from down the hall, shortly followed by the sound of footsteps in his direction.

"Did I hear someone curse?" Manolo’s head popped up in the kitchen window, a frown on his face as he looked inside towards Joaquin.

"Guys, I’m fine," Joaquin reassured, even as Maria took his finger to inspect and Manolo disappeared from the window to walk in through the back door a moment later. "Seriously! I’ll live," he continued to gripe, scowling as Manolo peered at his finger as well, "It’s just a burn. It’ll heal up in a few days."

"I know, querido. That doesn’t stop us from being concerned," maria chided, moving to snap a piece of aloe from the plant on the window sill. She peeled the leaf open and pressed it to Joaquin’s finger, Manolo offering a wince of sympathy as Joaquin hissed through his teeth once more.

He continued to scowl at his hand cupped so carefully in Maria’s, shirking away from Manolo’s reaching hand, knowing it would come down on his shoulder like it always did. He pulled his hand from Maria’s as he shifted his weight, taking hold of the aloe himself and turning away from the duo.

"Honestly. I don’t need you two hanging out like I’m going to stab myself with the cooking knives. I’m not going to die or anything cooking dinner. Go back to what you were doing," he half snapped, shoulders hunched.

"Joaquin," Manolo murmured, his voice sounding heart broken at being snapped at. It made Joaquin hate himself even more. He sighed, letting his shoulders slump back down.

"I just…can’t stand being like this. I mean, I appreciate you guys letting me stay here while casa Mondragon is being cleaned up and I’m trying to figure out how my depth perception works now and all that. I do. But, I’m not going to break, you know? I can take care of myself. You two just got married. You shouldn’t have to worry about me, on top of everything else."

Manolo and Maria shared a quick look behind Joaquin’s back, before two pairs of arms wrapped around him; Maria’s slender arms around his waist, and Manolo’s near his shoulders.

"We worry because we love you, Joaquin," Maria sighed, her face nuzzled into Joaquin’s shoulder blade.

"You’re not invincible anymore, hermano," Manolo added, giving him a squeeze.

"I know!" Joaquin snapped, turning in their hold and pushing them away with a frustrated sound. He huffed, taking a moment to recognize the twin looks of hurt and concern on the other’s faces. Manolo’s words echoed in his mind, realization suddenly washing over him. The worried glances, the hurried footsteps when he got hurt. They weren’t trying to coddle him; they were worried he would get mad at how easily he got hurt and run off to ‘prove himself’ again.

"I know," he repeated, opening his arms to pull them both to his chest. "I promise…I’m not going to go running off into the sunset on you two. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you two like that. I just got frustrated. I love you both as well."

Maria smiled up at him as she was pressed to his chest, reaching up to pat his cheek affectionately. “Glad you finally came to your senses,” she hummed.

"Me, too," Manolo added, shifting onto his tip toes to press a quick kiss to Joaquin’s cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to drop prompts off over at my [tumblr!](http://vilevenom.tumblr.com)


	5. drunk teens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon: tbol prompts, huh? Well, I really like the idea of Joaquin and Manolo making time for each other even while busy with all their training, so maybe somethin about the two of them sneaking off one night to hang out cause it's been really busy lately (maybe even steal some of General Posada's beer because they are 13 and 14 years old and practically adults c'mon) and maybe get a little too introspective about their relationship and hey I think I kinda like this guy like I like I like Maria wait wat

It had been Joaquin’s idea to meet up in the graveyard after the sun had set. Manolo still couldn’t quite figure out why, given just how close it was to the church, but it certainly was quiet, and there weren’t any people around visiting graves so late. And, he supposed, it would be easier to get home if Joaquin did follow through with bringing the beer he said he’d ‘borrow’ from Senor Posada’s cellar. More than one man had fallen into the lake trying to cross the bridge into town while drunk, and Manolo didn’t favor the idea of a midnight swim if they had chosen to meet out at the tree.

Neither of them had had much more time than to offer a passing greeting to one another as they passed on the streets lately, what with how tough Senor Sanchez had become more recently with Manolo’s training, and how overbearing Senor Posada tended to be over Joaquin. Thus, the boys devised a quick note passing system that they could utilize when walking past one another on the street, allowing them to arrange their current plans.

Joaquin had promised beer, on the account of Manolo’s fifteenth birthday having passed them by rather quickly the week before, with Manolo only having time for the small gathering his papa and bisabuela had put together for him. Joaquin had wanted to go, but Senor Posada insisted that such things were childish, and Joaquin had more important, ‘manly’ things to attend to. That, of course, didn’t sit well with the teen, and so decided to take it upon himself to celebrate his friend’s birthday ‘properly’.

And so, Manolo sat in the graveyard, away from his mother’s tomb (she may have been gone, but heaven knows he’d still feel horrible sitting near her grave while drinking with his friend), kicking his heels against the side of the short stone wall he’d sat himself upon to wait for Joaquin. Which didn’t take long, given that said boy soon rounded the corner of a tomb, impish grin on his face and sizable box in hand.

"Manolo!" Joaquin whisper shouted, laughing as he hurried his footsteps to reach Manolo, setting the box down with an accompanying sound of clinkling glass, "Happy Birthday, hermano!"

Manolo chuckled, slipping from the wall to wrap Joaquin in a hug, a bright smile on his face. “Gracias! I wish you could’ve come over for my party. We had tres leches for dessert, and I know how much you love it. I tried to save you a piece, but Papa ate it,” he said with a sigh, releasing Joaquin only once the other boy acknowledged his hug and gave him a pat on the back.

"Rats. Your bisabuela made it, too, didn’t she? She makes the best cake," Joaquin frowned, shaking his head slightly, "Oh well. I’ve got something better, here!" He smirked as he bent, opening his box to reveal several bottles inside before pulling two out and handing one to Manolo.

They used the rough edge of a rock to pop open the bottles, clinking the necks together in cheers, before each taking a swig of the liquid inside.

"UGH," Manolo choked, gagging as he brought the bottle down from his lips, "I’m sorry, Joaquin. I do not think this is better than my bisabuela’s cake." He coughed, holding the bottle as if it’d bite him as he wiped his lips.

Joaquin choked quietly as well, but handled the taste a fair bit better than Manolo, swallowing down the bitter liquid with a grimace. “Well,” he coughed, licking his lips, “Perhaps the taste is miserable, but the effects are better. I’ve seen the other soldiers after a couple of these. It’s hilarious!”

"For you, or for them?" Manolo asked, peering into his bottle apprehensively.

"Oh, shut up and drink," Joaquin snorted, shoving Manolo lightly with a laugh. They clinked the bottles together again, before each chugging down the liquid.

~

"These-this really is better than cake," Manolo giggled, slumped against Joaquin’s shoulder as the two had moved to sit against the wall, a small littering of beer bottles around their legs. "Everything’s fuzzy," he added with a hum, turning to press another laugh against Joaquin’s neck, the half finished beer in his hand dangerously close to slipping free of his fingers.

Meanwhile, Joaquin had only had a fraction of the beer Manolo had thus far drunk, wanting the birthday boy to enjoy himself more. While Manolo was on his fourth beer, Joaquin was only on his second. He swallowed thickly as Manolo’s lips pressed against his skin, frowning at the strange fluttering sensation in his chest that followed.

"Fuzzy good, or fuzzy bad?" Joaquin asked, laughing awkwardly as he moved to push Manolo back up into a proper sitting position. He could feel his cheeks warm as Manolo stared up at him with a dopey smile on his face.

"Good! So good," Manolo sighed in response, letting his weight rest against Joaquin’s hands, which held him only a few inches from the taller teens shoulder, "This was a good idea. Such good…goodness." A laugh erupted from Manolo as he let his head droop, his shoulders shaking with the sounds, "Best birthday."

"Belated birthday," Joaquin corrected, giving up the ghost and simply letting Manolo slump against him, filing away the fact that Manolo was apparently a cheap drunk, "But I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself all the same."

"Yes," Manolo hissed, drawing out the ‘s’ sound, before laughing again, "you’re the best Joaquin. Best of the best. My very best friend." He left his beer resting against his leg in order to reach awkwardly up and pat at the side of Joaquin’s face, tipping his head back to grin widely up at the other boy, "I love you."

Joaquin cleared his throat, his heart giving another strange thrill in his chest. “I love you too, Manolo.”


	6. Adelita drabble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon: Book of Life fic prompt: Either Adelita or Scardelita flirting with Maria.

"Our primo is a real lucky guy isn’t he?" one of the twins sighed, a grin on her bony face as Maria slowly looked around, her steps slow as she approached the Sanchez family.

"Muy," the other hummed, before they were both stepping forward, flanking Maria on either side.

"Welcome to the land of the remembered, Maria!" Jorge called, "It’s nice to see you again."

"Yeah," one of the twins laughed, slinging her arm around Maria’s shoulders, the other following suit, "Long time no see!"

"Hola, everyone," Maria demurred, a little overwhelmed by all of Manolo’s family greeting her as soon as she arrived, "it’s nice to see you all again, as well."

"Manolo won’t be long, I’m sure," Jorge reassured, offering Maria a smile.

"Hopefully not too soon," Adelita hummed, grinning down at Maria as she tipped her head back to look up at the tall Sanchez women, "He’ll steal away all your time-"

"-And we wouldn’t mind getting to know you better!" Scardelita finished, tipping her hat a little further back on her head.


	7. Winter snuggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darloongeek: How aboutttt... joanolo winter/cold/bad weather cuddles? *moop boop*

A sneeze rang out through the hotel room, followed by a round of giddy laughter.

"Shut up," Manolo grumbled from his spot huddled up on the bed he’d claimed as his own when they’d first arrived at the hotel, glaring daggers at the source of the laughter.

"Aw, c’mon, Manny! You were told by everyone to pack and dress warm, and that it’d be cold up here. It’s no one’s fault but your own for getting sick," Joaquin cackled from where he stood next to the coffee pot, which burbled away with nothing but water running through it, boiling it so Manolo could have a cup of tea.

Another sneeze and a groan had Manolo flopped over in the bundle of blankets he’d wrapped himself in, sniffling pathetically as Joaquin poured water into a cup, dropping one of the tea bags Maria had given to him for Manolo’s cold.

"Why did our class have to pick northern Washington to visit? In the middle of January? Skiing is stupid," Manolo grumbled into his blankets, yanking them up over his head.

"Because everyone but you thought it’d be nice to actually see snow in the winter," Joaquin laughed, "See what all the hype in those Christmas specials was all about, you know? Snuggling in front of a fire with cups of hot chocolate after spending all day in the snow? It’s in all the movies."

"Movies are stupid," Manolo scoffed from under the blankets, his voice half muffled by the fabric.

Joaquin simply laughed as he pulled the tea bag from the cup, adding some honey before heading over to the bed. “This coming from the guy who made Maria and I watch ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ every year for the past, what? Five years?”

"Those are classics," Manolo argued, pulling his head free of his blankets, his hair a complete and utter mess.

"Mhmm. Whatever you say, Manny. Now, drink your tea. Maria said it would help with your cold so you wouldn’t be such a wet blanket tomorrow when we go shopping," Joaquin said, sitting next to Manolo and offering the steaming mug.

"M’not a wet blanket," Manolo grumbled, but took the tea all the same, taking a deep breath over the mug and letting out a contented sigh at the smell.

"Only sometimes," Joaquin chuckled, tugging Manolo into a hug as the sick teen began to sip at his tea.

"I’ll make you sick," Manolo argued as he was bundled against Joaquin’s chest, cradling his tea carefully so it wouldn’t spill.

"I’ll take my chances," was the chuckled response Manolo got as the two settled in for the rest of the day, fat snowflakes sailing past their window and the muffled sounds of their classmates out in the hallway, heading back out to the ski slopes for the afternoon.


	8. haunted house

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ewburnthatshit: can i request more tres leches modern au please? i love your fics *sob*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Art inspiration!](http://tellersplace.tumblr.com/post/101625475729)

"Come on, you guys! Don’t be chickens!"

Joaquin rolled his eyes affectionately as Manolo scoffed at Maria’s verbal prodding. “We’re not chicken, Maria. Just, you know…don’t you think a haunted house is a bit, I don’t know…immature?”

Maria wrinkled her nose at Joaquin’s suggestion, planting her hands on her hips and frowning up at him as he let out an awkward, uncomfortable laugh while Manolo snorted into his hand next to them.

"We’re teenagers, Joaquin. Not old farts. You can be mature when you’re sixty, for all I care, but for now? For now I want to see if some guy in a mask can scare the pants off of me," Maria stated bluntly, stomping her fo on the ground as she spoke.

"You’re not even wearing pants," Manolo pointed out helpfully, squawking indignantly as he was hit in the arm with her purse.

"Skirt, pants, you knew what I meant," Maria scoffed, her frown slowly turning into a smile as Manolo grinned cheekily at her even as he rubbed at his arm.

"Fine, fine," Joaquin sighed, holding his hands up in surrender, "But I am not to blame if this whole thing turns out to be lame."

~

"DON’T TOUCH ME!"

Maria cackled as she was dragged along through the dark corridor, her heels clacking on the floorboards even as Joaquin let out another shriek as a light flashed and something screamed back. Initially, Joaquin had been in the front of the trio, chest puffed up and stride sure as they entered, only to fall back as a display of rather eerie looking china dolls set him on edge. From there, Manolo took the lead, wandering through at a good pace, blocking Joaquin from most of the jump scares, while Maria took up the rear, enjoying watching her two ‘macho’ men be freaked out.

Especially poor Joaquin. Once the actors had realized who the easiest in the group was to scare, they centered their efforts on Joaquin, who was not in the least bit impressed. He began to shove Manolo to hurry up as they made their way through the winding hallways, while grabbing onto Maria’s hand and dragging her along to hurry her as well.

Needless to say, Maria may not have been as scared as she’d hoped walking through the attraction, but she was more than pleased with the amusement it provided, and figured she’d more than gotten her money’s worth.

"MANOLO, MOVE IT!"


	9. spider-man au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tedizleader: Sad Joanolo prompt you shouldn't write: a superhero au where Manolo is killed like Gwen Stacey (you may ask me for info about this if you need)

It had started out as such a good night. The perfect fall evening; cool but crisp, with just a hint of a breeze to nudge people into sharing their warmth with one another as they went about their lives.

Joaquin and Manolo were two of those people, wandering the streets together and sharing a laugh or two over shared memories of good times past. Neither suspecting of what was to come of the night.

But then disaster struck.

Joaquin had been chosen at a young age to be the barer of the medal of ever lasting life, to keep it safe and away from those who would use it for evil. Thus, he donned it himself, in order to protect those who could not protect themselves. He became a beloved hero to the city, earning a name and a reputation for himself.

A reputation that begged to be challenged.

A madman, going by the simple name of ‘The Bandit’ began attacking the town, and Joaquin, being who he was, jumped into action. Rather unfortunately, Manolo was there as well.

Not without his own merits, of course. He’d helped Joaquin cure the town of more than one bad apple by aiding where he could in the background while Joaquin did the heavy lifting. But the stars did not see fit to align the way they always had before for the two.

The top of the clock tower saw the two dodging wild attacks from the Bandit, who had begun to target Manolo when he’d realized that Joaquin easily ignored his own safety for the other, and had forced them up the precarious steps. A wild swing here and a poorly aimed step there, and the Bandit managed to separate Joaquin from Manolo just enough, and with a wicked grin on his twisted face, pushed Manolo from where he’d been stood.

Joaquin’s scream echoed through the stone of the building even as he jumped after Manolo, knowing he could catch him. He had to catch him. He only had a few seconds on him, there was no way he couldn’t catch him.

And catch him he did. With a hand wrapped in the ropes that hung from the top of the tower where the bells rang, his fingers curled into the front of Manolo’s jacket just as he was about to make impact with the ground.

But a slip of his sweaty palm, a jerk of the rope, and Manolo’s eyes were shut as a gasp of breath left his lungs.

And then the night became too cold for Joaquin to bare.


	10. babies first gay bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tellersplace: Could it be ok if i request some tres leches at their first gay bar (because lord knows i've been kicked out of normal bars for girlfriends kissing other girlfriends).

The bar was entirely Maria’s idea.  
The gay bar, that is.

When the trio were younger and on the cusp of legal age (not that they hadn’t been sneaking beer from Señor Posada for ages by then), they had made a pact with each other that they would not go to their first bar until they all could, together. And given that Joaquin was a good year older than Maria, who was just under a year older than Manolo, it took a some time to fulfill that promise.

They had originally decided on all venturing to a well known bar in town together for their first legal round. Unfortunately the closing of said bar and Joaquin’s move to another town for schooling put a damper on those pre-conceived notions. Thus, an adventure around the new town Joaquin had settled in (soon to be followed by Maria and Manolo) saw the trio rock-paper-scissoring to see which of the bars they’d come across would be the location of the ‘shedding if their youth’, as it were.

Maria and Joaquin had first beat Manolo’s scissors with rock, then Maria beat Joaquin’s rock with paper. Her proceeding declaration of where they were going to be spending the evening had been met with open jaws, to say the least. Not to say any of the trio were ashamed of their relationship, of course. They were all fiercely protective and loyal to one another. The problem was that they were not what one would call ‘out’.

Any doubts this brought up, though, were easily quelled by Maria pointing out that they were no longer in San Angel, and Joaquin knew very few people in town yet. There was no one that could judge them, nor shame them for their choices. Besides, she said, it would be liberating for them.

So, they agreed, got dressed in casual, but nice clothing, and headed to the bar.

Manolo may have mildly regretted agreeing to Maria’s choice.

Once the trio had flashed their id cards and stepped inside, Joaquin nearly bee-lined for the bar to get drinks, and Manolo lost Maria in the crowd shortly thereafter. It wasn’t a huge building, either, so he wasn’t entirely certain how he managed to lose both his partners in the club so quickly, but there he was. Standing at the edge of the dance floor, looking rather forlorn as he stood on tip toe to try and catch site of either Joaquin’s tall figure, or Maria’s mess of curls. He supposed he could probably make his way to the bar to try and locate Joaquin easier, but the mass of dancing bodies between him and the bar were more than a little daunting. That, and his parents had always told him when he was younger that if he ever got separated from the people he was with, he should stay put and wait for them to return. He was certain they had meant if he got lost in the grocery store, but he figured the ideology was still applicable in gay bars.

he sighed as he lifted onto his toes again, searching the top of the crowd, only to drop back to his heels with a squawk as he felt an arm slide around his waist. And not a familiar one.

"You look lost," a voice, somewhat slurred, cooed at him, making Manolo turn his head sharply to see who had taken hold of his waist, "Are you looking for someone? I can help you with that." A man perhaps only a few years older than him was the culprit, and by the red hue of his cheeks, he was obviously a little more than tipsy.

"Actually, I’m looking for two someones," he grunted, taking the man’s hand and peeling his fingers from his shirt, before stepping away, "And you are neither of them."

"I could be, if you tried," the man insisted, looking a bit disgruntled at Manolo’s move away from him.

"No," Manolo scoffed, backing away as the man advanced, "you really couldn’t."

Manolo was just about ready to lay blows if the man kept coming at him, but a familiar back suddenly came into view, stepping between them and blocking the man from his sight.

"There a problem?" Joaquin’s voice held a growled note, his shoulders slightly hunched. Manolo could hear a muttered dissenting response from the man, before he stepped forward to wrap his arms around Joaquin with a sigh, resting his chin on the other man’s shoulder as his assailant walked away.

"I could’ve handled that," Manolo hummed, even as Joaquin turned in his hold, handing him a bottle of beer.

"Mhmm, you totally looked like it," Joaquin nodded, taking a short sip of his own beer, "But I didn’t want you to kill him. I’d like our first venture to the bar to not be our last, you know?" He paused, bottle halfway to his lips. "Where’s Maria?"

Manolo bit his lip, turning to look back over the crowd. “I had hoped she’d been following you. I lost her when she moved onto the dance floor.”

A grunt left Joaquin as he frowned at the dancing people littering the center of the club, his shoulders slumping. “We’re going to have to go in there, aren’t we?”

"I’m afraid so," Manolo returned, holding his beer up towards Joaquin, "No retreat?"

"No surrender," Joaquin grinned, clinking his bottle with Manolo’s, before they both began to push their way onto the dance floor.

More than once, as the two scouted around the pulsing crowd, they got separated, either being pulled by strangers hands to dance, or some wayward clubber stepping between them. Finally, Manolo resorted to wrapping his fingers in Joaquin’s shirt, keeping barely a step behind the taller man. He felt silly, but it was better than being parted yet again.

Finally they found Maria, both letting out twin sounds of irritation at finding her dancing between two other ladies, a wide grin on her face.

"Maria," Manolo shouted over the music, "we’ve been looking all over for you!" He untangled his fingers from Joaquin’s shirt, stepping up next to the girls.

"Get in line, buster," one of the girls stuck her tongue out at him, making him sputter and Maria laugh.

"It’s okay, it’s okay," she chuckled, twirling away from the girls, who each let out disappointed noises, "I’m with these knuckle heads."

"Very flattering, thank you," Joaquin said with a roll of his eyes, handing the third beer he’d been carrying around over to Maria.

"I only tease because I love you," Maria chided, reaching up to pat Joaquin’s cheek. "You guys having fun yet?" she asked, smirking as she took a sip of her beer.

"Manolo was accosted by a stranger. The bartender flirted with me. So far, a very exciting excursion," Joaquin stated, arching an eyebrow, "The beer you’re drinking was free, by the way. I only had to pay for two."

"It certainly sounds like it. You okay, Manolo?" Maria turned to the musician, offering him an apologetic smile, "Sorry for ditching you back there."

"The guy was saved by our knight in slightly rusty armor, don’t worry. I didn’t get to bruise my knuckles on his face," Manolo grinned, tipping his beer towards Maria.

"Again, so flattering. Geeze, the two of you need to stop. A guy might get an ego or something."


	11. Cooking Joaquin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mondragon-joaquin:
> 
> what if joaquin really wanted to learn how to cook so he began making a mess at his house, then when he was a little bit better he helped at the regiment-thing’s (im still not sure how to call this) kitchen, but he usually acted (and acts) very serious in front of everyone so nobody said a thing about the town’s hero wearing an apron and cooking for them. THEN when he finally could make really good stuff he went very excited to Manolo and Maria’s house and told Maria he learned how to cook because he wanted to say sorry somehow about thinking dumb stuff about a woman’s role in marriage…   
> ….  
> its 4 am im sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't a prompt, I just really wanted to write it.

When Joaquin finally moved back into casa Mondragon full time, there was one thing he learned quite swiftly; he could not cook worth a damn.

While he’d been living at casa Posada as a child, the general had cooks to prepare food for his men, and then when he’d been traveling the country side as he got older, people would often provide food for him after he’d saved their town or home. There was very little need for him to learn how to prepare a meal for himself. Now, however, without any staff and no thankful villagers to aid him, he was quickly coming to terms with his complete and utter lack of culinary skill. Especially once he’d managed to burn the bottom of the pot he’d been boiling water in for rice.

So, Joaquin set out to learn the skills he was so devoid of.

At first, he considered asking Maria to help him, but came to the conclusion that it probably wouldn’t be the very best idea, given what he’d said to her before the whole fiasco with his proposal. No. Perhaps showing off what he’d learned to her afterwards would work out well, but for the time being, it would be wisest for him to seek help elsewhere. Namely, books.

He borrowed every book on cooking that he could get his hands on from the nuns at the church, and a few helpful folks around town, pouring over them until he figured he had a pretty good understanding of what cooking techniques were which, and what should and shouldn’t be cooked at what temperatures. An apron was purchased with a curious glance not long after, and Joaquin began experimenting.

Savory smells, sweet smells, and indescribable smells could often be whiffed as one walked by casa Mondragon in the weeks that followed Joaquin’s book collection, and although more than one person in the town found it odd that Joaquin had holed himself up in his house and had begun cooking, no one really questioned it. Most figured it had something to do with the sudden changes in the hero’s life. One afternoon when Joaquin’s fellow soldiers came stumbling out of casa Mondragon looking more than a little green around the gills, someone even jokingly commented that perhaps he was experimenting with edible weaponry.

The soldiers were bed ridden for three days afterwards, so it didn’t really seem like that far of a stretch.

Finally, though, finally, Joaquin emerged from his house, apron still tied haphazardly around his waist and a covered plate in hand, while a near manic looking grin splitting his lips. Several people dodged out of his way as he moved through the streets of San Angel, many casting curious glances after the ex-soldier as a sweet aroma followed in his wake. But he did not stop to answer and any of the questioning stares that he got as he marched through town, far too determined to reach his destination as quickly as he could.

Casa Sanchez finally came into view, and Joaquin’s footsteps grew quicker as he hurried up to the front door, rapping his knuckles loudly against the thick wood once he’d reached his goal.

"Joaquin?" Manolo answered the door, a surprised, but pleaed expression on his face as he pushed the door open enough for the other man to step inside, "What are you doing here? What’s that smell?" He sniffed at the air, leaning in towards the plate Joaquin was carrying.

"Where’s Maria?" was Joaquin’s only response as he held the plate away from Manolo’s searching nose.

The guitarrista leaned back, a lopsided smile on his face as he shut the front door and motioned down the hall with his hand. “In the kitchen. But, really, what-” He didn’t get to finish his sentence as Joaquin grabbed his hand, startling him into silence as he was suddenly being dragged down the hall to the kitchen.

"Maria!" Joaquin declared as the two men entered the kitchen, the woman in question turning with a startled look on her face from the plant she had been tending to, Chuy at her feet.

"Yes?" she questioned, frowning as Joaquin swept into the kitchen, watching as he pushed Manolo into a chair and set a plate down in the center of the table. "What’s that?"

Joaquin simply grinned widely at her, moving from the table where he’d sat Manolo over to where she was standing in order to gently usher her to a chair of her own. She complied with his urging, settling herself in a chair, a small frown still on her face. “Really, Joaquin. What’s this all about? We haven’t seen you in weeks. And suddenly you waltz in here, and-” She froze as Joaquin pulled the cover off the plate, revealing several thick slices of chocolate cake.

"I’ve been learning how to cook," he said, his grin fading into a warm smile at the twin stunned looks that greeted him. "And it is hard. Oh, GODS, is it hard," he added with a huff of breath, falling into a chair between Manolo and Maria. "I always figured it was easy to make good food, but it’s really not. At all."

A moment passed, before Maria’s laughter filled the kitchen, followed shortly by Manolo’s sniggers, and Joaquin’s quiet chuckles.

"Oh, Joaquin," Maria finally sighed with a wide smile, "You goofball."

"Your cake isn’t going to poison us, is it?" Manolo teased, nodding towards the plate.

"Nah. I already poisoned the troops to make sure I wouldn’t poison anyone else, don’t worry," Joaquin grinned, earning a light smack in the arm from Maria.

"Is that why they were all so sick? None of them would say!"

"I swore them to secrecy." Joaquin smirked as Manolo simply rolled his eyes and Maria shook her head. "Anyway, try it! I promise it’s not terrible."

Maria and Manolo each took up a piece of the cake at Joaquin’s urging, gently tapping the confectionery’s together in a mock-cheers, before each taking a bite. Several long seconds followed after for Joaquin as the two each chewed and swallowed those fateful first bites, the ex-soldier suddenly looking nervous as he watched them both eat his cake.

"Oh my god, Joaquin!" Maria sighed as she licked her lips, "This is really good! You put just the right amount of cayenne in it. Wow."

"Si, hermano! This is excellent," Manolo chimed in, his mouth already full of a second bite.

"Really?" Joaquin asked, perking up as the two dove into their respective slices of cake.

"Mmm, you’re officially going to bake everything now, you know that right? No take-backs," Maria hummed, brushing crumbs from her cheek.

"I think I can handle that."


	12. Sick Joaquin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drabbled based on [this pic](http://bloodyrousa.tumblr.com/post/101660045779/i-liked-the-idea-of-joaquin-getting-sick-a-lot) done by bloodyrousa on tumblr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a butt and procrastinating on updating my other fics.

Joaquin wheezed as he rolled over in bed, sweat slowly trickling down his temple from his hair line to drip off of his jaw. He licked parched lips as he cracked open his eye, squinting at his room which blurred as he tilted his head. He grunted as he closed it again, resisting the urge to scratch at his eye patch, which itched and dug into his skin to the point of near unbearable irritation.

"I think I’m dying," he gasped to the room at large, fingers digging into his blankets.

"You’re not dying."

Joaquin squinted his eye back open to peer up at Maria, who had a mildly exasperated, but sympathetic look on her face as she cradled a bowl of soup in her lap. She swirled the spoon around in the broth, before offering it to Joaquin. The soldier obligingly let her spoon the liquid into his mouth, letting out a little moan of pain as it slid down his irritated throat.

"You’re just sick. It will pass," she reassured him, reaching out to pet at his hair once the spoon was back in the bowl. "If we get enough soup and water into you, you take your medication, and you get enough rest, you should be back on your feet in no time flat."

"I hate it," he grumbled in reply, letting his eye slide shut once more as the bright light of the room began to make keeping it open hurt. "This is terrible. I feel like death, and I’m useless."

"Death really doesn’t feel like the flu," Manolo’s cheerful voice was accompanied by the quiet sound of Joaquin’s bedroom door opening and shutting, "It really doesn’t feel like much of anything, really. Falling, maybe."

"That is not reassuring, Manny," Joaquin sighed, flinching a little when a cool hand came into contact with his warm brow. He relaxed as he recognized the familiar callouses of Manolo’s fingers. "Not in the least."

"It should be. It means Maria’s right, and you’re not dying. Just running a fever. I brought you more medication from the doctor."

Another disgruntled sound left Joaquin as he shifted in bed, perpetually feeling uncomfortable thanks to his body’s rise in temperature, and subsequent increase in sweat production. “It tastes like dirt.”

"And you would know how dirt tastes, how? Did you make a habit of eating it on the road?" Manolo’s joke was followed by a short laugh from Maria, and a quiet sound of skin on skin as Joaquin assumed Maria smacked Manolo’s arm.

"Hush. Joaquin doesn’t need your sass. Perhaps a song. Something nice. And Joaquin, you have to take your medicine, whether you think it tastes like dirt or not," Maria chided, tapping the soldier on the nose and earning a slight jump from him as he squinted his eye back open.

"Mean," he muttered, tilting his head to watch as Manolo tuned his guitar slightly, a small smile on his face as quiet music began to fill the room. He settled against his pillows as Manolo began to sing, a quiet, momentarily contented sigh leaving his lips as Maria moved from the chair she’d been sitting on to the side of his bed, her weight settling next to Joaquin’s shoulder as her fingers began to brush gently through his hair. He could feel the pull of sleep as the two did their best to sooth him in his illness, his eye drifting shut as Manolo’s weight settled on his other side.

"Thank you, mis amores," he murmured as he began to drift off.

"Sleep well, quierdo," Maria cooed, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave me prompts on tumblr [over here!](http://vilevenom.tumblr.com)


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